The Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series made their way to Phakisa Freeway in Welkom on Saturday 18 July for the fifth round of their championship. A healthy field assembled at the cold and dusty Free State circuit, but things soon heated up with some close and competitive racing as always.
Qualifying
Gianni Giannoccaro (E46 M3 GTR), driving in honour of his brother Ricky claimed pole position with a time of 1:43.809. Class B front runner Manny Ribeiro (E36 M3 Turbo) would line up alongside him, while Julian Fameliaris (E36 328i Turbo) and Zimbabwean Darren Winterboer (F30 335i Turbo) would lock out the second row. Stefano Martinelli (E36 328i) grabbed the top spot in class C with Craig Ball (E36 328i) doing the same in class D.
Race 1
An action packed opening lap saw the field jostling for position through the first few corners
An action packed opening lap saw the field jostling for position through the first few corners. Giannoccaro led the field with Ribeiro and Winterboer hot on his heels. Winterboer then grabbed second position heading into the “boot” with Fameliaris trying to get past Ribeiro as well. Class C leader Martinelli had his mirrors filled with Fred Kruger (E46 M3) trying to find a way past him, while the class D brat pack had no less than five cars challenging for the lead of their class.
Ribeiro ran wide coming out of turn one and handed Fameliaris third position. Sav Gaultieri (E36 328i), driving his son’s car, grabbed third position in class C ahead of Warren Dodd (E36 328i) and Stephen Tsalavoutas (E36 M3). Ball had secured the lead in class D but the battle behind him was far from over. Bevan Meyer (E36 325i) had his hands full with Mike Salt (E36 323i) and Arri van Heerden (E30 2.7) in the fight for second position in the class.
Gaultieri’s charge ended on the fifth lap when he retired to the pits with engine failure. The battle at the front of the field was also getting interesting as Winterboer had started closing in on Giannoccaro. He made his move on the penultimate lap of the race when the leaders caught some back markers coming onto the main straight. With an ailing differential in his car Giannoccaro did not have the drive out of the corner and Winterboer blasted past him to take the lead. The battle for second place in class D continued as well with Trevor Long (E36 328i) now making it a four horse race.
When the chequered flag came out after eight laps it was Winterboer who managed to hold Giannoccaro at bay to claim the Overall and class B victory. Fameliaris picked up third position with Riaan Woest (E46 M3) getting past Ribeiro in his normally aspirated entry on the last lap of the race to pick up fourth. Martinelli was made to sweat but held on for a narrow class C victory ahead of Kruger. Ball cruised to victory in class D, with Salt getting the better of van Heerden and the rest of the chasing pack to claim second.
Race 1 Results by class
Class A
Gianni Giannoccaro – Best lap: 1:45.046
Class B
Darren Winterboer – Best lap: 1:44.582
Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:45.486
Riaan Woest – Best lap: 1:47.488
Class C
Stefano Martinelli – Best lap: 1:51.551
Fred Kruger – Best lap: 1:51.917
Warren Dodd – Best lap: 1:53.343
Class D
Craig Ball – Best lap: 1:57.800
Mike Salt – Best lap: 1:57.548
Arri van Heerden – Best lap: 1:57.042
Winterboer claimed his second Overall and class B victory of the day
Race 2
Ball secured the lead in class D in Race 1
Despite losing a few cars to mechanical failure, the second race of the day proved to be just as competitive as the first. A reverse grid by class would set the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons as usual. Ribeiro had a great start and grabbed the lead through turn one with Woest and Winterboer in tow. Winterboer and Fameliaris used the turbo power of their cars to get past Woest to grab second and third places respectively however. Martinelli picked up where he left off as he took to the front of class C ahead of Kruger and Dodd once again. The class D contenders were in full cry once again. Salt picked up an early lead ahead of Ball, van Heerden, Long and Meyer as the pack headed four abreast into turn one!
The battle for the Overall and class B lead saw Ribeiro and Winterboer side by side for three corners before the Zimbabwean got to the front through turn five on the third lap. Martinelli was still holding Kruger at bay in class C, while the fight amongst the class D protagonists continued. Van Heerden passed Ball to grab second position and set about after the leader. He made his move on lap five when he dived down the inside of Salt heading into the back sweep to claim the lead. Salt saw his efforts come to nothing however when severe tyre delamination saw him spinning out and dropping back to fifth position. Long used one of these moments to get past Ball to pick up second position as well.
With another eight laps of action behind him Winterboer claimed his second Overall and class B victory of the day. Ribeiro held Fameliaris at bay to take second position while Martinelli had to work hard to pick up the class C honours ahead of Kruger once again. Van Heerden did well to secure the class D win ahead of Long and the rest of the chasing pack.
Race 2 Results by class
Class B
Darren Winterboer – Best lap: 1:46.821
Manny Ribeiro – Best lap: 1:46.943
Julian Fameliaris – Best lap: 1:46.929
Class C
Stefano Martinelli – Best lap: 1:52.035
Fred Kruger – Best lap: 1:51.957
Warren Dodd – Best lap: 1:53.497
Class D
Arri van Heerden – Best lap: 1:56.699
Trevor Long – Best lap: 1:57.151
Craig Ball – Best lap: 1:57.698
Martinelli had his mirrors filled with Fred Kruger
The sixth round of the championship will see the series return to the dusty plains of the Phakisa Freeway on the 22 August where they will once again join the Extreme Festival Roadshow in what is expected to be another action packed day of racing.
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